Dying So She Can Live
by thnw32
Summary: Damon Salvatore is many things, selfish included. Elena Gilbert is his one weakness, and for her he is willing to risk it all. What happens when Damon dies for Elena and is stuck on the Other Side? Will Elena see how much he means to her? Rated M for future chapters. Based around the end of Season 2.
1. Mourning

**Hello everyone! I'm back with a new Delena story. My other story was not going in the direction I had hoped it to, and I'm hoping you will bear with me and hopefully enjoy this new direction. This idea came to me when I was re-watching season 2 for the millionth time, and I had to start writing immediately. Please let me know in the comments any ideas you think you would like me to work into the story. I always appreciate feedback of any kind and I want to thank you all for reading. Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or any of its plots or characters. **

**Damon's POV**

Today was the worst day ever. Klaus and his merry band of witches gathered everything they needed to break the curse that binds his werewolf side, including Elena. Everything was set to go, the douchebag even had a back up wolf and a back up vampire; that is, until I intervened. Being the all-knowing, diabolical person that I am, I intuited that Klaus would have numerous back up plans to ensure that his curse could be broken. So, when I heard that Carol Lockwood 'fell', I decided to pay her a visit. After some simple compulsion, she explained what happened to me and that is when I knew. He wanted to lure Tyler and his bitchy wolf-girl mentor back into town. Of course, his plan worked, but I caught Tyler in the hospital and with Bonnie's help, got Tyler and Jules out of here as fast as possible. Bonnie may have been in hiding, but a simple cloaking spell was all we needed to escape the hospital and get Jules and Tyler on a plane and out of town. The witches happily obliged and Bonnie was able to channel them and provide us with invisibility.

Caroline was with Bonnie and Jeremy in the witches' house as a precaution. We couldn't risk Caroline being taken for the sacrifice, and besides, Bonnie wanted the company of her friend. I knew that I was a dead man when I chose to see this plan through, no question. But better I die than her. Elena did everything that she thought was right in her heart, but I knew that if I intervened, she would have the life that she wants and deserves. She loves my brother, and I know it will always be my brother. But I couldn't think of a better reason to die. I love Elena with every fiber of my being, and I had to do this for her. My baby bro may not have been able to do this, but I could. 152 years is a long time to live compared to Elena's miniscule 18. She's way too caring and maternal to not want children, and a life, and a family. By doing this, she can have what she wants. I love her so much that I was willing to do what it took to make damn sure that she got it.

Elena changed me in ways I never thought possible. When I first came back to Mystic Falls, all I cared about was getting that tomb open and running off into the sunset with Katherine, far away from here and away from Stefan. But, after meeting Elena on the street that first night and getting to know her afterward, I found that she was enchanting. Something about her made me want to feel again, to repress my vampire nature. She cares so much about the people in her life that it felt like a gift to be one of them. It took some time, but she and I built a bond and even though things went awry at times and Katherine royally fucked me up, she stood by me as my friend. I thought that all hope was lost though, when I snapped Jeremy's neck. Nothing could have ruined our friendship faster than murdering the most near and dear person to Elena's heart. Somehow, she began to look past it, and that's when I knew it for sure. She's the one. The one I have needed in my long, miserable life this entire time.

After Klaus moved back to his body and confronted me at the Grill, I, in all my Damon nature decided to be an ass and piss off the oldest Original in the worst way. I rubbed it in his face that I foiled his little plan and that I wasn't the least bit sorry.

* * *

_Earlier today…_

Ric and I were having a drink at the Grill, discussing what I did to keep Klaus from successfully breaking his curse, ultimately sacrificing the woman I love with the burning of a thousand suns.

_"Gentleman, why so glum?" _My head shot up instantly and I turned to match the face to voice. After eyeing him narrowly I realize it's Klaus.

"_Klaus, I presume?"_ I took another swig of bourbon, savoring the flavor.

"_In the flesh." _This dickhead eyed me up and down and smiled, making me want to rip his fucking heart out of his chest.

_"I just wanted to come by and give you a piece of advice."_

_"Do tell." _I downed the rest of my bourbon and signaled for the bartender, tapping next to my glass once she looked over at me.

_"Well, Damon, this is warning to not do anything stupid. The ritual happens tonight, and If you'd like to live to see another day, then I'd suggest you don't do anything to screw it up."_ The smugness of his tone was enough to make me explode.

"_Too late for that, pal. I already ruined your little plan. You won't be completing jack shit tonight!"_ If looks could kill, even this dumb ass Original would have died from the way I looked at him.

Before I knew what was happening, Klaus and I were outside in the alleyway beside the Grill. He had me pinned against the cold brick wall and I could hear Ric trying to bust through the man door next to us with all of his might. _"Damon! Damon!" _Ric's yelling and pushing raged on.

_"Don't worry Mate, my little witch friend made sure nobody could exit so I can deal with you."_ He practically spat on me.

_"Honestly, Klaus, I can't believe that you didn't see this comin'. I mean, sure, Stefan is the one she's with… But you had to know that I'm in love with her too and just as much of or even more of a risk to your little plan." _I couldn't help the smirk that had quickly spread across my face, my eyes filled with sarcasm.

_"Well then, it's your funeral."_ He plunged his hand into my chest cavity and squeezed my heart so painfully, then ripped it out of my chest…

Poof! Lights out. Or so I thought… I woke up and realized that I was stuck here on the gloomy and infamous other side, forced to watch everyone without being seen or heard. All alone and tortured by solitude. Forced to worry that Klaus will retaliate and try to take Elena or kill people. This is the part of my plan that I didn't really take into consideration. Bonnie said she could keep Elena safe when we spoke, so I'm trusting her. The witch would die before she'd let anything happen to Elena.

The first place I went was to the Boarding house to see her beautiful face. After all of this, I needed to see for myself that she was okay. When I got there, I was surprised by what I saw.

The dark, blood red couch on the left side of the living room is where she laid. The fire from the fireplace slightly illuminating her tear-stricken face, her head graced one of the throw pillows while her nose was pressed to my shirt. Where was Stefan? Elena was curled into the fetal position, clutching onto my favorite black John Varvatos shirt for dear life and sobbing. Her long dark hair was covering the part of her face not covered by my shirt, and she was still wearing her usual long sleeve and jeans. All I wanted to do was soothe her pain… lightly run my finger down her cheek to let her know that I was there and tuck her hair behind her ear; Maybe even place a soft kiss on her forehead. Stefan appeared from behind me as he rushed through the front door at vamp speed, zooming through me to get to her.

_"Hey, hey... Elena, shhhhh," _Stefan scooped her up into his arms and kissed her head.

_"Why would he do this Stefan? I had a plan! Elijah was going to kill Klaus, and I was going to take the elixir and then all of this would've been over!" _She pushed Stefan's arm and proceeded to free herself from Stefan's embrace and stand in front of him.

_"Why wouldn't you stop him, Stefan?" _She glared at him with dark, bloodshot eyes. She knows that Stefan wouldn't have been able to stop me, even if he had tried. She is just taking her anger towards me out on him.

_"Elena, I didn't know what he was going to do… If I had any idea that he would, I would have locked him up or vervained him or even helped him to prevent this! He knew you had a plan, and I was sure he was going to let you see it through.." _

To my surprise, Stefan was visibly upset when he spoke about me. He turned away from her, his hand clenched into fists and he placed them on top of his head with force, closing his eyes and letting out a sigh. A tear slid down his face, which he promptly wiped away before turning back to face her.

_"Come on, Stefan! You know him better than anyone! He's your brother! I know you two haven't always gotten along, but you had to know that he was up to something!" _Elena began to raise her voice, anger evident in her features as she stepped closer to him and balled up her fists.

_"Okay, I had suspicion. I figured he was up to something because after Ric came by and told us that the sacrifice was happening, Damon was gone. He just vanished without a word, and that's when I knew. I knew that he was going to ruin Klaus's plan and I didn't even try to stop him. It was too late, and I would never have gotten to him in time. I love you, Elena, and so did he. You deserve to live whatever life it is that you want, and Damon's plan made sure that you could." _Stefan's eyes were pleading, his hands stretched in front of him as to hold her. Ouch, Stef. Thought I was the brother who didn't care. I didn't even get a phone call from him to try and stop me.

_"You bastard!" _Elena drew back and slapped Stefan so hard you could have probably heard it throughout the entire boarding house. I have to admit, seeing her slap Stefan across the face, especially over me, was a great feeling. Although, I hate seeing how hurt she is because of what I did. She ran to her SUV and fumbled with her keys, though once inside, she tore out of the driveway like a bat out of Hell. Stefan fell to his knees and began to cry, though I'm not sure if it was because of Elena, my death, or both. I decided I'd check in on him later.

* * *

Needing to make sure that Elena got home safely and was okay, I made my way to her house. Not even a full day and I realized that life on the other side is literal Hell on earth. To be able to see the one you love most in the world and not be able to touch them, to soothe them, to take away every ounce of pain is absolute torture. I found Elena lying on her bed, my shirt still in one hand, as she clutched her diary in the other. I sit down on the bed, though she doesn't know I'm there and tell her that I love her so, so much.

Miraculously, like she sensed my presence her head snapped up from her fluffy, goose-down pillow, and she moved to sit up. _"Damon? Damon, can you hear me?"_ her cries were tearing apart my insides. Of course I hear you, silly girl. Not that she would know. _"Damon, if you're there, just know that Bonnie and I are going to figure out a way to bring you back… What you did for me... all of the things I wish I could have said while you were still here… you can't be gone. We will figure this out, I promise you!" _Tears once again filled those gorgeous chocolate brown eyes, the pain that consumed her face made my black heart ache. She threw her diary across her bedroom and it landed on the corner of the little nook where she normally writes with a thud, then fell to the floor. She pulled out her phone a sent a text to Bonnie to meet up in the morning. She placed the phone on her nightstand and proceeded to bury her beautiful head into her pillow, pulling my shirt up to her nose.

It pains me so much to see her that way. Part of me feels like an asshole for doing this to her; For taking away another person that she cares about. But me dying was the best option. It was better than all of her friends and potentially all of her remaining family dying. Had that happened, I'm sure that Elena would have grown to resent both Stefan and me. We would be walking, talking reminders of the worst day of her life, not to mention the mental and emotional toll it would have taken on her mind by losing them. Better to do the right thing, for _her._

So, here I am watching Elena as she flops around restlessly underneath her giant white comforter, trying to stop crying and get comfortable. I wish there was a way to let her know that I'm here and that I will be here to watch over her. She's finally settling into her soft cotton sheets when I see her eyelids start to close and sleep fighting to take over. I can't try to find peace until I know she will be okay.

_"I miss you, Damon…"_ comes out as a soft whimper as a final tear streams down her olive cheek and she drifts off to sleep.

I miss you too, Elena...

**_A/N:_****_ If you read this far, I just want to say thank you so much for reading and that I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of this story. I really like this particular time in Damon and Elena's relationship (end of season 2 and beginning of season 3) because she was really starting to understand how much he loved her, and they started getting so close. Anyways, thanks again and please review! I appreciate each and every one of you!_**

**_Love, T._**


	2. The Dream

**Hello again! I will more than likely switch between just Elena and Damon's POVs, but I may also try out 3****rd**** person, we shall see. In this chapter, we learn more about how Elena is feeling, and she gets a visit. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or any of its plots or characters.**

**Elena's POV**

_Dear Diary,_

_I am honestly at a loss for words. Damon died today… He saved my life and the lives of my friends. Klaus was ready to perform the sacrifice tonight and Damon had a plan of his own. He didn't say anything to me about it. Ric showed up to the boarding house and before I knew it, Damon was gone. He force-fed me his blood because he was worried that Elijah's elixir wouldn't work. We didn't see him after he shot out of his room following his fight with Stefan. Stefan took me out for the day, and we spoke about me becoming a vampire. I figured that at least Stefan would keep in contact with him to make sure he wouldn't interfere. I was still mad at him for taking my choice to be human away from me. Come to find out, Stefan knew that Damon put himself at risk and did nothing to stop him._

_In hindsight though, I know why Damon did it. He couldn't bear to lose me so he thought that if all else failed, at least I would be alive (well somewhat). But even if Klaus was still able to complete the ritual, I'd be a vampire and Damon would still be dead for trying to ruin it. He would still be dead…_

A few tears drop onto the pages of my journal. I can't write about this anymore. My heart is broken, and I can't stop crying. I lost one of my best friends today…

I wish like Hell that Damon was still here to make fun of my pjs or look at me with his beautiful icy blue eyes in that flirty way he normally does. Instead, he's stuck on the other side, all by himself. I feel my heart ache in my chest at the thought of Damon being all alone. I know that he can see and hear us from his side, but it sucks that I can't see him. I almost feel like he's here next to me, and just in case he is, I start to speak.

_"Damon? Damon, can you hear me?"_ I can't help the wave of emotion that overcomes me as tears once again flood from my eyes.

_"Damon, if you're there, just know that Bonnie and I are going to figure out a way to bring you back… What you did for me... all of the things I wish I could have said while you were still here… you can't be gone. We will figure this out, I promise you!" _I choke out the last words before throwing my diary across my room and pulling out my phone to text Bonnie right away.

**Bonnie- I need your help to come up with a plan to help Damon come back. See you tomorrow morning.**

I press send and lay my phone down on my nightstand, falling back onto my bed and grabbing hold of Damon's shirt. I inhale the smell that is Damon Salvatore; a mix of spice, leather and bourbon. Mmmmm... I am so glad I took it. I can't give up on him. In fact, I refuse to. He literally died for me because he loves me that much.

Part of me feels a pang of guilt knowing that he would do something like this for me. He literally loves me enough to die so that I can live. If I think about it, Stefan would too. But I also feel like he's glad that it was Damon and not him. Now he has me all to himself, with no interference from his snarky older brother.

I have to admit, that lately I'm much more aware of how Damon makes me feel. _Made _me feel… He is obviously very sexy and has that bad boy appeal. But it's more than that, I think. He and I have a connection that I can't explain. It's like he can tell what I'm thinking before I say anything, and I can feel how much he cares about me. He went from the jerk that wanted to open up a tomb of vampires for selfish reasons to becoming my friend, my protector. I feel like sometimes its easier to talk to Damon than it is Stefan. All Stefan does is fawn over me and wants to shield me from the world. But Damon seems like he would want to show me the world and show me off to the world as well. The fact that he is the one who died for me instead of the man I'm with speaks magnitudes about who truly loves me. I know it's horrible, but I can't help but wonder why it wasn't Stefan that did more, that fought.

I mean he says he loves me so much, but he wasn't willing to do anything it took for me like I would for him or any of my loved ones. He let his own brother die instead of helping him. That's why I slapped him, and it's why I need to get some space. I need the clarity.

After tossing and turning a few hundred times (or so I thought), I finally get comfortable, though I'm still sobbing. I can feel myself finally trying to fall asleep.

_"I miss you, Damon…" _I drift to sleep and dream of Damon.

* * *

I wake to realize that I'm sitting on my front porch swing, wrapped in a cozy black blanket, pen and journal in hand and slippers on my feet. It's a fairly brisk morning and I wonder how long I've been here and better yet, how I got here. I look around me and the sun is rising, lighting the sky with the most beautiful colors. I'm startled when the front door opens and out comes Damon, a steaming cup of coffee in each hand. He smiles at me before handing me a mug and carefully sitting down on the swing next to me.

_"Morning, sleepy head. I made it just how you like it."_ He nods to the warm cup in my hand and I smile in thanks before I pull it to my lips to take a sip. He smiles at me all the while and once I'm done drinking, I turn to speak.

_"Damon, what are you doing here? I thought you were dead?"_ A look of love forms in his eyes and his hand strokes my cheek gently, causing me to close my eyes and lean into his hand. A small hum escapes my lips. Damon chuckles before running his thumb along the point of my chin.

_"I am dead, Elena. I was able to get into your head, even though I'm stuck on the other side. I realized you aren't wearing your necklace and decided to give it a shot. Emily Bennett found me over here and offered me her help because she knows how much I love you, and she wanted to repay me for keeping her bloodline alive. Either way, I couldn't resist trying to see you, to talk to you... I miss you so much, Elena."_

Damon's hand drops to my knee where it stays, and we stare into each other's eyes. All I can think about is how much I wish that this was real. He's still so beautiful in such a masculine way, his dark wisps of hair falling on either side of his face, soul piercing blue eyes and kissable lips. He looks like he wants to kiss me and a part of me wants him to. But I speak before anything can happen.

_"I'm going to find a way to bring you back. I'm going to meet with Bonnie and figure out what to do. You don't deserve this." _I feel my face fall and my gaze moves to his hand on my knee. His left hand reaches up and tilts my chin up to make me meet his eyes again.

_"Elena. I did this for you, so you could have a better life and so everyone else wouldn't be killed. After every bad thing I've done in my entire existence, believe me, I deserve worse than this."_ Damon's hand returns to his side.

_"No, Damon, you don't. I'm going to do everything I can for you, just like you did for me. I refuse to let you stay dead. I…I care about you. We're going to figure this out, I promise you." _I can feel the tears starting to well up in my eyes once again.

_"No, no, no… none of that Elena. I didn't mean to make you cry. I just wanted to see you again, to touch you, to hear your beautiful voice…" _His voice is the softest I've ever heard it. He captures my full attention with that statement, and he grabs my face with both hands, using his thumbs to wipe away my tears. He abruptly pulls me into his lips for an innocent kiss, at least that's how it started. Something ignites inside me when our lips meet. We pull apart and peer into each other's eyes and before he can pull away from me, I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him again, only this time deeper. I run my tongue along his bottom lip seeking entrance which he allows, and our tongues become tangled, fighting for dominance.

I've never kissed Damon before this, and I wish that I would have. This is the most exciting feeling, and I wish it didn't have to end. Inevitably we pull apart and he tucks some stray strands of hair behind my ear. _"Thank you, Elena." _The smile on his face is one I've never seen. "_I wish it could have been real."_ He puts some space between us, and I get the feeling that he's about to leave me.

_"Damon, please don't go yet. Can you just sit here with me for a while?" _His eyes soften at my question and he obliges. He wraps his arms around me as I lean into him on the swing and take another sip of my coffee. He places a kiss on the top of my head and my eyes close in reaction. This feeling I hold in my heart right now is something I don't want to lose. I have to bring Damon back. I will exhaust every possibility to have him back with me on our side. Thinking of how lonely he is and how lost he must feel is letting the ache return back to my chest.

_"I mean it Damon; I will do everything I can to bring you back." _A tear falls down my cheek. He turns me to him once more and tilts my chin up to meet his gaze before kissing me harder than he did the first time. I feel heat traveling to the pit of my stomach and my whole body ignites. I place my hand on his cheek and our kiss continues for what feels like hours. When we finally break apart, his face falls and I see the pain in his eyes.

_"It's time for me to go, Elena. I love you, so much. I don't know if I'll be able to do this again but know that I'm watching over you." _He strokes my cheek with his thumb and places one more kiss on my lips and stands to leave. I stand in unison and wrap my arms around him tightly. He returns my hug and suddenly, there's a huge flash of white light. I'm ripped from my dream and I wake to see that it's daylight. The birds are chirping, and I feel cozy under my comforter. Damon's smell meets my nose as I realize that I had fallen asleep with his shirt pressed to my face.

I check my alarm clock and see that it's 6 a.m. Time to get up and start my day… I pick up Damon's shirt and gently fold it, placing it into my top drawer of my dresser. I grab my phone from my nightstand and text Bonnie.

**Let me know as soon as you're awake, please. We have to start immediately. – E**

That dream was so intense, and it felt so real. I should feel horrible for kissing Damon and betraying Stefan that way. I definitely feel guilty, because I kissed him and I'm with Stefan. But a part of me wishes I could do it again… My emotions are all over the place lately. I continue to think about how it felt to kiss Damon and begin to get ready and start my day.

**A/N:**** I felt that this was a good place to leave off. If you are enjoying this story, please leave me a review! Your support and feedback are always appreciated. Thank you! **

**-T**


	3. Invisique

**Hello again, everyone. I wanted to thank you for your reviews and suggestions about where you hope this story will lead. I'm sorry that it took so long to update, my computer needs to be repaired, therefore I'm posting this update from my phone. As far as my previous story, "Under My Skin," I am in the process of rewriting some parts that I felt didn't live up to certain expectations. I plan to repost the story and continue writing it as well as this one. As far as this story goes, I would love to hear your ideas about what you feel should happen and things you would like. With that being said, let's get back to the story.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries or any of its plots or characters. **

**EPOV**

As I was heading out to go to Bonnie's house I bumped into Jeremy in the hallway. "Hey," he smiled sympathetically, "I just wanted to see how you were holdin' up. You know… with everything." Genuine concern shone on his face as he moved and wrapped me in a tight hug. When he let go, he peered at me with sad eyes, "I'm okay, thanks Jer." I gave him a small smile and squeezed his hands slightly. "I'm heading over to Bonnie's, do you need anything? Alaric and Jenna should be here, I think they're still asleep."

"No, I'm good. Just tell Bonnie I said hi."

"Will do Jer, see you later."

I started for the door and my mind began to fill with the memory of how it felt to kiss Damon. Damon Salvatore. Even though it happened in my dream, it felt so real. All of it did, really. The way his hand felt when he placed it on my knee, the softness of his lips against mine later replaced by the feel of his tongue against mine. I could feel myself getting worked up, so I focused on the task at hand again. I started my SUV and I got to Bonnie's house in no time.

I arrived just after 9 in the morning, and my phone notified me that Stefan had called. I placed my phone into my pocket and started for Bonnie's front door. Just as I came up to the steps, I was hit with a wave of energy. There was a bluish-white blast that emanated from the house and it shot through me with the force of a tidal wave. My elbow and side met the sidewalk with an audible thud. "Ouch…" I said as I brushed myself off and moved to go inside once again. I let myself in because Bonnie was expecting me, and when I make it into the living room, I find the source of the energy that knocked me down.

"Hey, Bon. Take it easy, will you? Whatever it is that you're doing knocked me down before I could come inside." I give her a small chuckle as I sit down on the chair opposite of the couch she's sitting on, rubbing my elbow. "Oh my god, I'm sorry Elena!" Her face looks worn as though she hasn't slept for days and suddenly, I feel guilty for putting so much pressure on her. "I'm sorry if this is a bad time…"

"No, no, it's never a bad time when it comes to you. I was just trying to practice a tough spell I found in one of Gram's old grimoires. It's a portal spell, where you can make a tear between realms and I was hoping to be able to do it, but I guess I need more practice. I'm not strong enough to do the spell alone either, so I'm going to have to try to channel the witches." She looks drained, so I reach out to grab her hand. "Bon, it's okay. Take it easy for a bit. How long have you been awake?"

"Well, I woke up early this morning around 3. I had a dream about Emily." Whoa, that's a name I haven't heard in a while. "Emily? What happened?" I probe as concern grows for my best friend. "I was walking through town by myself, and everything appeared normal. I spotted a young girl that looked familiar, so I started to follow her. She took notice that I was following, and sped up, weaving between people as to evade me. Before I knew it, I was in front of the old witch house and I couldn't find her. I kept searching, thinking maybe she would be inside the house, but she wasn't there. I stepped out onto the porch to exit the house and suddenly felt magic flowing around me and when I turned around, Emily was right behind me. It scared the daylights out of me, and it jolted me awake. I haven't been able to go back to sleep since then."

"Oh my gosh, what do you think it means?" My brows knit together as I try to rack my brain for possible reasons that Emily would want to contact Bonnie. "She wants me to contact her I'm assuming. I think maybe she is trying to tell me to go to the old witch massacre site." Bonnie bites her bottom lip nervously and I try to give her some comfort. "If it would make you feel better, I could go with you."

"Actually, it would, thanks Elena. I hate going there by myself. It gives me the creeps." She let's out a small giggle and wraps me in a hug. I totally understand why; the place is dark and haunted.

"So anyways, how are you doing? I know it's got to be hard with Damon stuck on the other side. Is Stefan okay? I know he and Damon aren't what you would call close, but I'm sure he's upset that his only brother is gone."

My heart drops at her questions and the mention of Damon's name. I can feel my face start to heat up, a blush betraying me and covering my cheeks. "It's hard, I miss him so much more than I thought I would. Like, almost more than I should, honestly… I know that you hate the guy, and I can't say that I blame you after all of the problems he has caused. But I feel… lost… without him. Stefan and I got into an argument last night after everything happened. I don't know, I guess I'm just upset that Damon was willing to do whatever it took to save me, including getting himself killed, while Stefan spent the day with me talking about how I don't want to be a vampire. I feel like he could have done more, or even helped Damon. Maybe then he would still be here…" Tears stream down my face as I spill my guts to my best friend.

Bonnie gives me a speculative look, "But you asked them to respect your choice, Elena…" I know that she's right, and I sound like a total hypocrite. I can't help how I'm feeling. She allows me to continue.

"I know I did… I just didn't think Stefan would go along with everything I asked of him." I trail off, wondering if maybe I have been too hard on him. I have to tell her that I saw Damon again.

"Damon visited me in my sleep last night Bon. Oh my God!" My outburst makes Bonnie jump. "What?" she asks, worry covering her face. "I just remembered; Damon told me that he was able to visit me in my sleep because Emily helped him. He said that she felt like she owed Damon for allowing her bloodline to carry on, so she helped him contact me!"

"Geez," Bonnie says, "Woman sure isn't subtle, is she? Clearly, she needs to make immediate contact with me if she's going to all the trouble to not only invade my dreams but help Damon into yours as well."

"I wonder what's so urgent that's making her try so hard to get me to communicate with her." I'm curious too, as well as hopeful that Emily will have a solution to get Damon back here, or a loophole of some kind. Yeah, I'm definitely going with Bonnie.

Bonnie clears her throat and recaptures my attention, "Elena, you should know… I promised Damon I would protect you, keep you safe from Klaus. I'm going to place a cloaking spell on you, which will mask you from Klaus and his witches. They won't be able to see you, and a locator spell won't find you, but there is one small issue. Witches are creatures of nature and our senses are intense. If you come in contact with his witches, they will be able to feel the magic that's cloaking you. They still won't be able to see you, but they will try and figure out where the magic is coming from. It's best that you stay here with me, for now. The first place Klaus will look for you is your house or the boarding house. He still thinks that I'm dead, so right now, this is the safest place you can be." I nod in agreement but worry still consumes me.

"What about Jenna and Jeremy? Ric? How do I know they will be safe?" She can see how defeated I am, but she reassures me. "Before Stefan found you last night, he was doing something for me. I asked him to get blood from Jenna, Ric and Jeremy. Don't worry, Jenna is definitely still new to all of this vampire stuff, but she was happy to help. I have vials of their blood that I plan to take with me to the witches' house. I was going to ask you to come with me anyhow, that way I can take some of your blood to complete the cloaking spell. This spell will protect all of you, but you will also be linked together. So, if something happens to one of you, it will happen to all of you." I raise my eyebrows at that but allow her to continue. "Ric and Jeremy agreed to it, and so did Jenna. They are willing to do whatever it takes to make sure everyone is safe."

My phone keeps buzzing incessantly. Stefan keeps trying to call me, probably to apologize and try to make things better. I keep on hitting ignore and Bonnie notices.

"Do you want to get that?" she looks at me like I'm crazy because I've hit ignore probably 6 times.

"Nope, it can wait." My words come out a little crasser than I mean them to, but she doesn't say anything. Her lips purse into a fine line at the awkwardness I just created.

"Do you want to head to the witches house now, then?" I ask her almost too hopefully. "Um, yeah, sure. Before we go, I'm going to cloak us as well, just until we get to the house. I found a cloaking spell in a Gemini coven grimoire that will protect us both. Let me grab my things and I'll meet you in the car?"

"Okay," I say as I grab my keys and head for the door. If Emily has contacted Damon once, who's to say she won't do it again? Or that she isn't in constant contact with him now? I feel my heart start to pound in my chest at the excitement and hopefulness that we could bring Damon back to our side. "This has to work," I mutter. I'm sitting in the driver's seat of my SUV, keys dangling from my hands and into my lap while my mind is doing cartwheels.

Being with Stefan has been amazing. He came into my life at a time when I felt empty, heartbroken and alone. He saved my life and for that I'll forever be grateful to him. I get to continue on living out my life. Damon dying has really put things into perspective for me. I already almost died once, and life is too short. I have to stop wasting time not doing what I want to do, not admitting they way that I feel just to make others happy… Things have changed between Damon and me.

I haven't let myself admit it because I have always been worried about hurting Stefan and what other people's opinions will be, namely Jenna, Jeremy and Caroline. Bonnie wouldn't be thrilled, but I know that she loves me and my choice in men doesn't change that. I don't want to hurt Stefan, I really don't, but how is it fair to be with him when I have feelings for his brother? I don't think I'm in love with Damon, although I know he is in love with me. But I know for sure that I feel something for him. He has always been so obviously attractive with his icy blue eyes, taut muscular figure and that mischievous but sexy smirk.

I can narrow it down to when he and Stefan showed up to save me from Rose and Elijah. I saw him at the bottom of those steps and all I wanted to do was run and jump into his arms and feel safe. When Stefan stepped in front of him, I felt disappointment that I didn't get to. I had been so horrible to him prior to that; granted he deserved it for snapping Jeremy's neck. Even still, he came for me because he loves me, and I could truly see his feelings when he saw me from the bottom of those steps that day. Damon rarely shows his feelings, and when he did that, he got to me.

He continued to do everything he could to protect me, including working with Katherine of all people, to keep me safe from Dr. Martin. And when Elijah pulled out the elixir that could have possibly saved my life, he kept searching for other solutions. I didn't want to hurt him and Stefan when I said that I'd just be dead if the elixir hadn't worked… I just couldn't possibly let anything happen to the ones that I love, so I decided it was best for me to do what Klaus had asked.

I was so angry with him for force-feeding me his blood. But just before he did, when told me he couldn't lose me, my heart sank. Seeing the pain and torment in his eyes made me want to hold him and tell him it would all be okay. I knew it wasn't appropriate being that I'm with his brother, but looking back, I wish that I had. Maybe I'd have stopped him from risking it all for me. I could have prevented him dying.

When he died, something inside me snapped and my unspoken feelings flooded through the gates. When we kissed in my dream, it felt like the world had stopped turning. He flipped my life upside down, leaving need and longing in his wake. His death is traumatic for me. I can't accept that he's gone, and I won't. Denial seems the best option right now. I'll focus on good memories with Damon, like the time he semi-kidnapped me and took me to Georgia. His intentions that day were obviously not good, but it felt so nice to let loose… have fun. Just two people enjoying each other's company and playing around.

Bonnie gets into the passenger seat and fastens her seatbelt, breaking me away from my thoughts. "Ready?" She let's out a nervous sigh. "Yes," I nod, and she closes her eyes. "Invisique," Bonnie opens her eyes to look at me. "It's done." She smiles and places her hand on top of mine lightly before pulling it away.

"That's it?" I ask, curious as to how one word can cloak us both so easily.

"That's it." She smiles softly.

"Then let's go talk to Emily." I say as I put the car into drive, and we make our way to the witches' house.

**A/N:**** I hope you guys liked this chapter, if so please leave me a review! **


	4. Family Ties

**Hello again, everyone. I wanted to thank you for your reviews and suggestions about where you hope this story will lead. As far as this story goes, I would love to hear your ideas about what you feel should happen and things you would like. I'm going to do my best to keep updating frequently, but I still have yet to get my computer fixed. With that being said, let's get back to the story.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries or any of its plots or characters. **

**DPOV**

It's the next day, and Emily and I are sitting on a bench in the middle of town near the Grill. It seems to be a nice day on the side of the living, although I'm feeling uneasy over here.

Seeing Elena and getting to let her know that I am here was amazing. I'm still in awe that she let me kiss her. Hell, I'm still in awe of the way she kissed me back. After all that we've been through she has made it abundantly clear that it will always be my brother. Her feelings for me are finally bursting through the gates, and I can't be there for it. Our interaction made me think that maybe she's finally realizing that Stefan isn't the one for her. I had to kiss her at least once, considering I'm a dead man and all. There's no guarantee that I can see her again in that way, so I had to make the most of it. When she deepened our kiss, it made something in me so sad. I only ever wanted her to love me back and to kiss me in the way she just had. But now it's too late, and I'll never get the relationship I want with Elena.

Emily interrupted my train of thought when she spoke, "Did you get what you needed?" Really? Is that even a question? Hell no I didn't get what I needed! What I need, is to get out of here and back to the girl I love. "Not exactly," I smirk, "but it was helpful. Thank you for seeking me out and offering to help me." I just said thank you… What's going on with me?

The wind is picking up around us and it makes me wonder if there's something going on. I'm new over here, so I wouldn't know if it's normal or not. I cannot get used to this dim, grey, dark place. It really puts the focus on the fact that you're alone. Unless you're like me, and somehow can communicate with a witch. She's not just any witch… Emily's voice grabs my attention once more.

"I figured it's the least I could do considering you spared the lives of my bloodline. I am sorry that I destroyed my crystal and ruined your plan to try and get Katherine back. But it had to be done. So now that you're here, I sought you out. I wanted to repay you. If you want to see Elena again, I will do what I can to help."

Confused, I eye her suspiciously. "Why would you help me again? You hate me."

My skepticism made her smile mischievously, "Don't you worry about that Damon. I just need your help with something. I'm going to ask you to do some things for me, and one of them you may not like."

Of course, the witch has her own sneaky little plans. Curious, I ask "What do you need me to do?" Being that Emily is a Bennett witch, I don't want to do anything to get on her bad side. Bennett witches are extremely powerful beings, and I'm scared of what she might do to Elena if I don't give her what she wants. Not to mention all of the other witches from Bonnie's lineage that may want to retaliate.

"Well Damon, the first thing I will say is this. I know that you want more than anything to be free from this purgatory, and I know just the way to make that happen. This is where the things that I need you to do come in. I have handled things on my end; I made certain that Bonnie will contact me. The first thing is, I will wait for Bonnie to contact me and then I will tell her that she must tell Elena that you will be paying another visit. Then, I will convince her to link her magic to me. Essentially, she will be linking her and I together, meaning that we will have access to one another's power. You must keep this to yourself…The other witches need not worry themselves about all I have planned. The second thing, which I told you that you won't like, is that you need to feed from Elena. I don't mean just a drop, Damon. You must drink enough blood to channel a strong spell, which means you need to drink until she feels faint and you can see her eyes start to flutter. After you do this, you can feed her some of yours to help her heal. Doppelgänger blood is the key to your release."

I feel like I may explode in anger when she says that I have to feed on Elena. Have I dreamt of tasting her blood? Absolutely. But the setting for this was entirely different, and much, much more personal. To make feeding from her enjoyable and painless, she would either need to be compelled or we would need to be intimate. Blood and desire are so completely intertwined, and it is important to me that I don't hurt her. The experience should be enjoyable for her. All she ever sees is angry vampires flashing their fangs around, so I want her to know that it's not always such an aggressive thing to feed, especially from someone you love.

How do I tell Elena that I need her blood? Elena hates compulsion, and I really don't see her letting me do it. There's no way she will let me compel her…

"I don't understand," I say as I pinch the bridge of my nose in irritation. "How do you expect me to drink her blood in her sleep, and while I'm dead? Clearly, you've spent too much time here, I think you may be delusional." I shake my head and twirl my finger towards my head, making coo-coo noises, then gauge her reaction.

"No, Damon, I'm not delusional. It's what we witches like to call, a loophole. You still exist on this side as a vampire, and with my help, you're able to cross over into the living realm, which means that while you're there - even though it's in Elena's mind - you are partially alive."

"Yes, but even if I were to feed on Elena, how would that help you?"

Emily sighs, and then puts her hand on my arm gently. "Damon, I know that this is a lot for you right now, but I need you not to worry. I will handle my side of things, and you will handle yours." She smiles at me, and I can't help but feel a little joy in knowing that I could be out of here so soon. I know that it's a long shot, and I'm stupid to trust a witch, but at this point I've got nothing to lose. I'll do almost anything to get back to the girl I love.

"I want more than anything to return to the land of the living but hurting her… it's not an option." My face is stern, and my eyes are narrowed, my irritation growing. I really want to get the heck out of dodge, almost as much as I want Elena. But I can't be selfish with her. "If she doesn't let me feed from her, I guess that's a wrap." I put emphasis on the p, making a popping noise.

Emily looks at me fiercely this time. "You must do what I ask you to. It's the only way." Her words come out as a whisper, and she releases my arm from her grasp and starts to back away from me. "Where are you going?" My eyes are speculative, and I take a few steps towards her.

"It's almost time. I must get to the house at once."

I wait for her to disappear and then make my way to the old witches' house. I want to see what ol' Emily has up her sleeve.

**EPOV**

Bonnie and I get to the witches' house fairly quickly, and I feel my heart pounding in my chest as she pulls the keys out of the ignition. I glance up at the house before we both get out and close our doors. The dilapidated exterior and knowing what's inside gives me the chills. I shiver and Bonnie gives me an understanding half-smile. "I know, this place gives me the creeps too." She lets out a small laugh and loops her arm through mine. We head towards the house, when my phone begins to go off again. She turns to face me, releasing my arm. "Elena, I think you should answer it. At least let Stefan know what's going on. You know he's worried about you, and the phone is his only way of knowing how to find you since we're cloaked. Please just talk to him, and I'll head inside and set up my candles and things." She rubs the side of my right arm lightly and turns back to the house, entering slowly.

I grab my phone out of my pocket and answer it reluctantly. "Hello?"

"Oh, thank God, Elena. I know that you're angry with me but please do not ignore me. I need to know that you're safe, and communication is the only way to do that. I'm so, so sorry. You have every right to be mad. I was selfish with you. I wanted to spend the day with you and see you smile, all the while my brother was risking it all for you and I can't take it back. I should have intervened…"

He lets out a huff and waits for me to say something.

"Stefan, you're right. I am mad… I'm mad that we wasted the day talking about me becoming a vampire and the future when we could have prevented losing him. I'm mad that after all that you and Damon have gone through, you chose spending time with me over saving him. And, I'm also mad because he was right." I didn't mean to say the last part aloud, but it's too late now.

"What do you mean he was right? Right about what?" Stefan sounds nervous and I can hear him shuffling around.

"I mean that when Damon told me that I feel something for him and I have been lying to everyone including myself, he was right. He said this to me the night he snapped Jeremy's neck. It's messed up, I know. I should hate him for doing that, and I honestly never thought I would forgive him. But now that I have, and so much has happened-," my breath catches in my throat and I have to force myself to breathe. "I don't think we should be together anymore, Stefan."

"How could you say that to me?" The hurt in Stefan's voice causes my heart to ache, but I push on.

"How is it fair to be with you when I have feelings for someone else? Your own brother! I love you, Stefan, I do. But I also have feelings for Damon."

There's silence for a long time and I begin to grow impatient waiting for his response. I tap my foot anxiously on one of the stones in front of the doorway.

"Damon's gone, Elena. We can work through this together, just-"he huffs once again, "just, please don't give up on us."

I know that this is killing him and it's hurting me so much to hurt him, but it needs to be done.

"I can't talk about this right now, Stefan, we'll talk later. I'm sorry." Instead of waiting for him to respond this time, I promptly click the end button on my phone and shut it off. I then slide the phone back into my pants pocket and go inside the house to help Bonnie.

I know that I seem cruel and honestly insane for wanting to break up with Stefan, all because I have feelings for his dead brother. The thing is, I refuse to believe that Damon can't come back. There's no way that he went to the lengths he went to, to foil Klaus's sacrifice for nothing. He doesn't get to stay dead; not if I can help it anyway.

I reach the basement of this dreary, run-down place and spot Bonnie kneeling with her grimoire in front of her, surrounded by a circle of candles and salt. I've never really seen Bonnie use salt before, so I'm curious. I raise my brow and ask, "What is the circle of salt for?"

She looks up at me and smiles gently, "I'm going to try to put her inside of it. If I can channel enough power, I can pull her to our side and hold her here while we talk."

"Oh," I say as though what she just said is completely normal. She chuckles and then motions for me to come sit beside her. I sit down on the cold hard wood, and Bonnie closes her eyes and begins to chant, her arms held out in front of her. I suddenly feel very uneasy and the energy in the room shifts drastically. It's like the feeling you get when you're home alone and it feels like someone is watching you, only worse. The wind picks up and Bonnie chants even louder next to me, rising to her feet.

Suddenly, it's quiet, and there's a small woman standing in the circle. She's wearing dated clothing, a pink gown with a bonnet and some white shoes; She even has gloves on. You can see the resemblance she has to Bonnie and it makes me think they could be sisters. Emily smiles at us and greets us warmly.

"Hello Bonnie," she nods and looks at me, "Elena," another nod.

"H-Hello Emily," Bonnie chokes out her greeting and I smile back at the woman kindly. "Hi."

"I see you understood my message, Bonnie." Emily's polite demeanor makes this meeting a touch less creepy. "We need to talk, you and me. Actually, Elena, you being here saves me a step." She glances between the two of us before she continues. "Your blood is a very potent source of magic, and it is a key of sorts. We can use it on both sides," she gestures, "yours and mine."

Bonnie and I share a questioning look before moving our eyes back to her relative. "How is that possible? How can you get Elena's blood on your side?" Bonnie's question intrigues me, as I really am curious to know how. "What do you need my blood for exactly?" my voice is shaky and Emily picks up on my discomfort immediately.

"To answer the first questions, Damon. Damon is how it will be possible to retrieve your blood, Elena. I was going to have Bonnie relay the message but you being here makes things much simpler. I will help Damon to enter your dream again tonight. It is there, that he will take some of your blood and I can channel the blood through him. Bonnie, you will also need to take some of her blood and keep it in a vial until her blood runs through Damon. Which leads me to the most important part. We must combine our power together. This will allow us access to each other's powers, effectively making is both stronger in the process. There is a knotting spell in my grimoire that sits in front of you," Emily flicks her wrist which moves the pages along until she settles on the page with the spell that Bonnie needs. "This spell entails combining our powers and sealing the link with a 'knot'. Shall we begin?" Emily's eyes are piercing Bonnie's with so much persuasion that you would think she was trying to compel her. Bonnie nods, and the two of them begin chanting in a language I've never heard. Once the knotting spell is complete, the two witches open their eyes and it Dawn's on me that Emily never answered my question, so I ask again. "Emily, what is it that you need my blood for? You said that it's a key? A key to what?"

She smiles at me and softly shakes her head, "I'm sorry I didn't answer you the first time. You see, your blood will help Bonnie and I to drop the veil between our realms. It is going to be temporary, I assure you, as it will upset the balance of nature. But doing this is a vital step in what is to come. Your blood, as I said before, is very potent. We will channel it again and perform a spell that will push Damon to your side permanently, before placing the veil back up."

My eyebrows raise in surprise and then understanding. "It sounds like you'll need a lot of it," I gulp. Emily simply nods. My hands get clammy as my nerves gather and Bonnie rubs my arm reassuringly. "I won't let anything happen to you, Elena, I promise." I nod at her and then look back to Emily. "So what do you get out of this Emily? I mean, I know you're not helping Damon without a price." My words come out a little more terse than I mean them to, but I wait for her to explain herself.

"You are correct in your assumption that I will get something out of it, Elena. It is not something I wish to discuss at this time, but Damon is a debt I owe. He saved my family line, and I intend to repay him."

My heart swells at the thought of Damon and how I will see him again once the veil is dropped. I hope that Emily is true to her word and makes Damon a permanent resident on our side.

Bonnie pulls me back to the present when she speaks next. "We will have to discuss what you're getting from this at some point, Emily. I cannot upset the balance of nature without knowing why I'm doing it. I know that I'm helping Elena get Damon back, but that still leaves you and your intentions up in the air."

Emily smiles at her, "You can trust me, Bonnie. After all, I am your ancestor. You mustn't worry about that now. But all will be explained in due time. We must part ways now. Our link will allow you to communicate with me much easier; you will not require the salt ring nor will you need to come here again. I will contact you once Damon has completed his part." With that, Emily vanishes from the circle and the candles surrounding us go out.

Bonnie and I gather our supplies and head for my car. I bite my lip as we approach the trunk and press the button to open the hatch. "Do you trust her Bon?" We place all of our items into the trunk and I close it. "I think so, yes. I'm a little skeptical and unsure because she's being dodgy about her intentions, but she's my family. I should be able to trust her, right?"

We get into the SUV and I start it, contemplating. If I were in her situation, I would want to trust my family. Although, look at my lineage… Katherine Pierce wanted to use me to broker a deal for her own survival. "Just be careful," I say as we pull away from the house and head back to Bonnie's.

**DPOV**

After seeing the exchange between Emily and the girls, I'm really curious about what she's up to. Being a reformed diabolical person myself, I'm able to sniff out someone fishy.

"Damon, I assume that you were hoping to gain some knowledge on what will be taking place to ensure your freedom?" Emily looks up at me and I can't help the smirk that forms on my face.

"Well yes, that, and I was also hoping to understand what it is that you're doing."

"Excuse me?" her tone is defensive. Looks like I hit a nerve. I narrow my eyes and lick my lips.

"What are you getting from dropping the veil?" She pokes her tiny finger into my chest and glares at me.

"You would do well to not cross me. I am the only one willing to help you over here, so I'd suggest you be quiet." I consider the fact that she could go back on our deal and keep me over here, so I decide it's best to just go along with it. "You're right Emily, I'm sorry." I raise my hands in surrender and she removes her finger from my chest. "It's quite alright, Damon. Just don't do it again." Her expression evens out and she speaks again.

"You died protecting the doppelganger, preventing Klaus from siring such unnatural beings, and you shouldn't be here. You're needed on the side of the living to keep the balance in place. You being here when it's not your time is throwing off the balance. I'm not sure if you're aware Damon, but it's not supposed to be so windy and stormy over here." I think back to my earlier recognition that it seemed weird over here.

"So wait, if it's throwing off the balance for me to be here, why are you the only one willing to help me?" I question the witch and she chuckles. "Honestly? You have no idea as to why no other witches would want to help you?" I scoff, but the realization sets in that the witches have plenty of reason to hate me. Before I met Elena, I was a self-serving killer and I was willing to do whatever it took to get Katherine out of that tomb. I didn't give a rats ass about who I had to go through to do it; I even had a part in Sheila Bennett's death. Sadly, it turned out that it was all for nothing, and Sheila died for no reason.

"Fair enough," I say as my mind moves on to the subject of Elena. I swear to myself silently that if I'm given a second chance like Emily promises, I'll make Elena Gilbert mine. I don't care how long I'll have to wait, because she is worth all of the time in the world. I love her… My witch companion looks at me and snaps her finger to alert me that she is waiting for me to walk with her. "It's time to go to her house, Damon." I smile at the thought of seeing her again so soon, and we head to Bonnie's to get started.

**A/N: So what does everyone think? Is Emily trustworthy or is her unwillingness to divulge her intentions making her seem shady? We know that witches can't always say too much, but could she have divulged a little bit? Thanks again for reading! More Delena goodness in the next chapter. **


	5. Blood

**Hello! I'm back with another chapter. I must say that it's weird writing on my phone instead of a computer, but it will do for now. I hope that you like the story so far and I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone has to say. Finally, another Delena chapter! Warning: This chapter contains SMUT!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries or any of it's characters, plots or themes.**

**EPOV**

Once I've packed some things and said goodbye to Jenna, Ric and Jeremy, I make my way back to Bonnie's to stay for the foreseeable future. As I walk in her front door, I'm greeted by a seething look from Stefan, who is sitting in the family room on an armchair, his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands. Bonnie hears the sound of the front door opening and closing, and comes into the family room to give me an apologetic look. She mouths 'Sorry' at me and then makes herself scarce.

"So, do you mind telling me what the hell is going on with you?" His brows come together and he looks at me angrily. This irritates me and it takes every bit of my self control to take a deep breath and count to 10 in my head before I answer.

"I'm sorry, what?" my lips form a tight line so as to not say anything else that I may regret later. "I said what the hell is going on with you Elena? You're breaking up with me? I don't understand why you would leave me. I know that I messed up and I know that I should have helped Damon… but I honestly thought our relationship was stronger than this. I believed you when you told me that you loved me and that you were nothing like Katherine." His face falls as he meets my eyes and I become enraged by the name he just used in comparison to myself.

"You really just compared me to Katherine? I didn't mean for this to happen Stefan! It's not like I just said screw it, I'm switching brothers now. I have felt something for Damon for a while, and I think that's why it hurt so badly when I thought he killed Jeremy. I couldn't believe that someone who loved me so much and that I cared so much for, would do something so vile to hurt me. But after a while, I forgave him. I forgave him because I could understand that he is so affected by me, and was so hurt by Katherine that he lashed out. Somewhere along the way I started to feel something more than friendship toward him. I'm not going to stay with you when I have feelings for your brother. How is that okay?"

"Elena, do you realize you're defending someone who killed your brother? Do you not get the severity of that? Just because he was wearing his ring, doesn't make it any less of a death. I honestly never thought you could love him, and I thought that him killing Jeremy solidified that. Boy, was I wrong." Stefan's eyes are filled with hurt and tears that are threatening to fall.

"Look, I'm sorry okay? I love you, I do. But I don't think that I'm in love with you anymore. How could I be if I have feelings for someone else?" I sigh and approach him, kneeling in front of him and grabbing his hands. "I'm so sorry, Stefan." He reclaims his hands and stands up to walk to the door, his eyes never meeting mine. "Your compassion is going to get you killed one day… Goodbye, Elena." He walks out of the house, and I turn to go to Bonnie's room.

"Ouch," she says as she gives me a small pat on the shoulder. "You couldn't have been a little nicer to the guy?"

"I wasn't trying to be mean, but I also won't apologize for how I feel. I did the best thing for the both of us by ending it. Now he can try and move on and I can attempt to understand what my feelings for Damon actually are."

Bonnie gives me a small smile and quickly changes the subject. "On to another important matter; the linking spell. I need some of your blood to complete the spell. I figure since I need some for this spell, the veil spell with Emily, and bringing Damon to our side, I can get enough for all three spells at the same time. There's no sense in cutting into you more than I need to." She sighs and I open my hand, extending it out to her. Bonnie grabs a pocket knife and flicks it open before slicing into my hand. I wince, and she turns my hand over atop of a coffee mug to collect my blood. Once she feels that she's got enough, she wraps my hand and moves to place the blood into three separate vials.

"You can go ahead and shower if you want. I'm just going to complete the linking spell for you and your family and then grab one after you. I still feel the creepy crawly feeling after being in that house, so I need to shower before bed." I nod and grab some pajamas from my bag, a black lace tank top and some pink booty shorts, and head to the bathroom to wash the day from my skin. The water is nice and hot, and soon the room is filled with steam. As I'm rubbing the muscles in my neck to relieve some tension, I think about what it would be like if Damon were in here with me. I wonder how good his hands would feel all over my body, and what it would lead to. I quickly push the thoughts away, finish up and step out of the shower to brush my teeth.

Once I finish dressing and brushing through my hair, I return to Bonnie's room, where she's sitting with her closed grimoire on her lap. "I'm done. Just finished actually. I hope you saved me some hot water." She giggles before passing by me to go into the bathroom. I climb into her bed and crawl underneath her covers, feeling excited for what's to come. I can't wait to see him again. This thought keeps me from being able to sleep though, so I don't fall asleep until well after Bonnie showers and gets in bed next to me. Somehow, I eventually manage to fall asleep.

"Elena." I hear my name and my heart skips a beat. "Hey," Damon coos as his finger brushes my cheek bone softly. "Hey," I smile up at him sleepily. He's perched on his knees next to Bonnie's bed, mere inches away from me. His icy blue eyes are incredibly beautiful, and I see a smile start to form on his lips. "This isn't like the last dream," I say, surprised. "Yeah, you must be really tired because you weren't actually dreaming when I got inside your head." He runs his index finger along my bottom lip and I shudder slightly, missing the feel of his lips on mine. I sit up so we're eye level with each other and run both hands through his raven hair, gently pulling him close. When our lips meet I feel electricity course throughout my entire body and I don't want it to stop. He deepens the kiss by running his tongue along my bottom lip, seeking entrance. I happily oblige and our tongues dance together, sending a pool of wet heat between my legs. Damon can sense my arousal and reluctantly breaks the kiss, leaning his forehead against mine. "I've missed you," his velvet voice is the softest I've ever heard it. "I've missed you, Damon." He smiles at me before pulling his head away from mine and grabbing my hand. "So, you know that I'm supposed to-" he gulps, "to… bite you," he says and looks at me seriously. "Are you okay with that? I'll try to make it as painless as possible." He stares into my eyes as his left hand meets my cheek in a light caress. "Of course, Damon. I'll do anything to bring you back," I smile.

He stands up and walks around to the other side of the bed, which is now empty (I assume this is because I'm in a dream that Damon created) and lays down next to me. He's wearing a black v neck that is tight in all the right places, and black jeans. His right hand comes up to stroke down my arm gently before he moves in closer to me and kisses me again. Just like before, electricity runs throughout my body and I long for him to touch me. As though he can read my thoughts, his hand moves slowly down my body, tracing my hip bone before slipping under the waistband of my shorts. His breath catches suddenly, "You're not wearing underwear," he groans. I smile knowingly and he licks his lips and kisses me again, returning to his task.

His finger finds my slick folds, and parts them slightly before he finds the little bundle of nerves that's aching to be touched. "God, you're so wet…" he breathes against my mouth, causing me to ache even more. I moan in response and he moves to hover above me. He kisses down my body, lifting my tank top slightly to run his tongue from my navel and down until he reaches my shorts. He yanks them down and I giggle at how fast he tears them from my body. My center is completely exposed to him and his eyes are hooded with lust for me.

"I have to taste you, can I please?" he begs. "Yes," I moan. The ache for him is almost too much and then he lowers himself between my legs, throwing both of them over his shoulders. He licks up my slit before sucking my clit into is mouth and releasing it, causing me to pant and grab the sheets. "Mmmm," he hums against me, and I swear I'm about to come right there. I grab onto his hair as his tongue makes little circles and flicks all over my clit, and pull him impossibly closer. "You're sure about this?" he asks me huskily before opening his eyes to read my expression. I nod and spread my legs as wide as I can, giving him better access. His tongue runs between the valley of my core and my thigh, then along my femoral artery slowly in preparation. I feel myself getting closer to the edge and once his fangs break the skin of my inner thigh, it sends me over it. He pumps two fingers into me and starts taking pulls of my blood into his mouth. My release is so strong that I can't contain the scream the escapes me.

Once I come down from my high, Damon pulls away from my leg slightly and licks all the remnants of my blood clean before removing his hand from me. He bites into his lip and kisses me, urging me to drink the little bit of blood so I can heal. I do so without a second thought, tasting myself on his lips. I immediately feel my wound close. "Wow…" I sigh and curl into his chest. His arm wraps around me, and I wrap my leg around his torso.

"Yeah," he says, "wow…"

We lay there in silent bliss for a moment until I can't take it anymore. "I don't want you to go," I'm unable to help the croak that comes out with my sentiment. I really don't want him to go. I wish that everything that just happened could happen in real life. "Trust me, I don't want to." He chuckles and kisses the top of my head, breathing in my scent. "I'll be seeing you again as soon as possible." I breathe a sigh of relief.

"You're beautiful," he whispers. I feel myself blush and push my face farther into his chest so he can't see me. He pulls back and brings my face up to look at him. "Don't hide. I mean it Elena, you're so beautiful. I don't deserve you." I can see the pain in his eyes and realize that he truly believes that.

"Damon, I think you do. I don't know what will happen yet, but if you can come back to me, I want to see what we could be." I smile as I pull him in for a kiss. "I love you," he looks into my eyes as he says this to me aloud for the first time.

"I can't believe you dumped Stefan because of me. I mean, I always secretly hoped, but… now I'm just in shock." I feel my face fall at the mention of Stefan and then the guilt. "I know that I hurt him Damon, but I can't be with him when I have feelings for you." I join our hands together and run my thumb across his fingers. He simply nods in understanding, but I can see the guilt that he feels as well. "What if I can't come back? You'll have broken my brother's heart for nothing."

"It wasn't for nothing, Damon. It's not fair of me to be with him when I'm not in love with him anymore. He deserves to be happy, and so do I. But stop thinking like that. You're coming back to me, I know it." I sigh, hoping that I'm right. Damon groans and I know that means he has to go soon. He pulls me into a tight hug, pinning my arms to my sides. "Can't… breathe…" I squeak and he releases me. "Sorry," he chuckles. He kisses me until the bright light comes and I'm pulled from the dream.

I wake to find Bonnie still sleeping next to me, and the clock on the nightstand says it's 7am. I roll over and go back to sleep.

**DPOV**

Last night was the best night of my entire existence. Elena's blood is unlike any I've ever tasted. Feeding on her was euphoric, and I hope I get to do it again. What's better is how hot she was for me, and she let me taste her… I mean, imagine what I could do to her if I was still living. An alive dead person? Whatever, you know what I mean.

No matter how much I've wanted Elena, I never thought she would want me back. It shocked the hell out of me that she broke up with Stefan. I guess after hearing, 'it's always going to be Stefan' I had given up hope that I'd ever win her heart.

A few hours after leaving Elena's mind, Emily decided it was time to wake Bonnie to do the spell to drop the veil. Her message is received instantly. Emily places her hand on my chest to channel Elena's blood, and Bonnie grabs a vial on her end. They both start chanting at the same time. Before I know what's happening, Bonnie is shrieking at me and throwing her pillow in my face. Elena's breath catches and I hear her sweet voice say my name. "Really, Witchy? Is it necessary to throw things at a dead man?" I smirk and I see Elena crack a smile before pulling her bottom lip into her mouth and biting it. She's so sexy when she does that.

"I didn't expect you to be in my room, creep!" Bonnie is obviously unsettled at me being here, so I excuse myself and go downstairs to sit on her front porch. "Sorry," Emily says, "I should have mentioned that I'd have him with me," she smiles. "Also, hello again, Bonnie."

A minute later, Elena comes downstairs to sit in the chair next to me, smiling as she looks into my eyes. "I can't believe you're really here," she says enthusiastically. I grab her hand with both of mine and run my thumbs over the top of her skin. "In the flesh… sort of." I chuckle and her face lights up even more. It feels amazing to touch her, to be seen by her even. I really hope Witch 1 and Witch 2 up there are seriously able to bring me back. After all, I have a promise that I made myself to uphold.

Elena chuckles at my stupid joke and we're joined by two similarly dressed witches. I shoot Bonnie a questioning look and she answers my unspoken question. "It will help Emily to blend in if she's not wearing dated clothing. It just so happens that tonight is a meteor shower, so she suggested that we wait so we can draw on its power as well as Elena's blood to complete the spell, and push you back over here."

My suspicion rises and I spare a glance at Emily as I speak. "Hmm, look at how perfectly that worked out." I smirk and return my attention to Elena. "Want to spend the day together then?" My question piques her interest, and barring eye rolls from both witches, we both stand to go to the Grill. I would kill for some bourbon, but Elena needs to eat breakfast, so I place a quick call-in order after asking her what she wants. We both say a quick 'see ya later' to Bonnie and Emily, then we get into Elena's car and drive away.

I decide that we will to run over to the boarding house once I've run in and grabbed Elena's takeout to check on Stefan. My bet is that he will be a mess, drowning himself in alcohol and fighting the urge to go on a killing spree. "I don't think it's such a good idea for me to go there. I mean, I just stomped on his heart. The last thing he needs is to see me…" she trails off and looks out the passenger window, her expression changes to a frown.

"You may be right, but I need to check on him. Can't have him going off the rails right now." I grab her hand and give it a light squeeze, and she looks at me hesitantly. "Damon…" I cut her off before she can protest any more. "Look, how about this? I can go inside first to see of he's there and talk to him, and you can stay in your car and eat your breakfast til I come get you." She smiles softly and nods, "That's fine, I'm starving!"

We pull into the driveway of the boarding house just a few minutes later and I pull the key from the ignition, handing it to her. "Lock the doors, you can never be too safe." I give her a peck on the cheek and step outside the car. When I hear the noise of her car locking I move to go inside the house.

"Stefan?" I yell when I'm inside the foyer. I don't hear his slow heartbeat anywhere. It's dead silent in the house, but I still vamp through all of the rooms to be sure he's not here prior to going back outside to retrieve Elena. I tap on her window, startling her. She drops the remnants of her breakfast sandwich into the container and unlocks the doors. She steps outside, and her brow raises in question. "Is he here?" I shake my head and sigh. "No, and I couldn't smell him in the house so I'd say he's been gone for a while. I don't think he came home after he talked to you." She looks down, and I lift her chin to look at me. "It's okay, Elena. He just needs time to cool off," I say, hoping that I'm right and he's not off killing people.

"Shall we?" I extend my elbow to her and smile. She gladly loops her arm around mine to go inside. I can't help where my mind goes when I think about spending the day with her. All I want is to take her to my room and show her what I've wanted to do to her since that first night we met. Not that she would remember that night, considering I compelled it from her memory. Maybe I can give her that memory back. After all, it seems that she's ready to explore her feelings for me. It's only right that she has all of the information. I smirk and she looks at me strangely.

"What's that look for?" she asks me. I shrug my shoulders and lead her to the couch on the right side of the living room to sit next to me. "What are we doing?" her eyes meet mine, and I place my hand on her cheek to hold her there. "I'm giving you a memory back," I breathe. She tries to push me away, irritation filling her features but I won't let her. "You compelled me? How? Stefan gave me a necklace to prevent that from happening." She clutches for the necklace, but quickly remembers that Elijah tore it from her neck and threw it away. She doesn't know that I have it tucked away safely in my room.

"This was before you met him. We uh… we met first, Elena," the words come out quickly because I'm so nervous. She gasps and looks at me surprised. Screw it, I'm done explaining myself. "Now, you remember the night we first met," I say, using my power of persuasion on her. I release her face and wait, as I let the memory play in her mind.

A beautiful blush coats her face after a minute and I smile, waiting for her to speak. "We met first…" she smiles and puts her hand over her eyes in embarrassment, "I flirted with you! A complete stranger!" I laugh and she smacks my chest lightly before removing her face from her hand and glaring at me. "It's not funny, Damon! Its mortifying…" I laugh even harder because she's so adorable. She begins to laugh along with me and wraps her arms around my chest, so I follow suit and wrap my arms around her in return.

"I wish you hadn't taken that memory away from me. Things could be so different right now if you didn't," she looks back up at me and I place a light kiss on her forehead. "It wasn't the right time for anyone to know I was here." I shrug against her. "Although, I am sorry that I took it away from you. If I had known Katherine wasn't in the tomb a lot of time could have been saved, and I mean a lot. I waited 150 years for her and caused a lot of pain along the way. I compelled you to forget that we met first when you could have changed my life right then and there." I close my eyes and pull her closer to me. "It's okay, Damon. We're here now."

We sit there in silence for a while just holding each other close. She pulls away first and looks at me sheepishly. "Want to go upstairs?" My heart skips at her question, but I nod and stand to pull her to her feet. "Don't take this the wrong way Elena, but I need a glass of bourbon first." I chuckle and move to my drink cart where I fill a tumbler to the hilt before taking a huge gulp of the warm liquid. The heat rushes down my throat and warms me all the way down to my stomach. I kill the rest of my glass before setting it down and grabbing her hand to lead her to my room.

**A/N: So I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! We're so close to bringing Damon back to the side of the living. As we know, witches love their consequences. What do we think the consequence will be from Damon coming back? Also, let me know if we want more Smut . Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed!**


	6. Elijah

**Hello everyone. I know, I know, I'm incredibly crappy at updating. I apologize. My computer eventually got fixed, and I am a college student. Life got in the way of writing, and I also tend to get caught up in reading other TVD fics. But I promise that no matter how long it takes, I intend to finish this story. I love the idea of it and there is so much potential. That being said, after Damon's return, where do you guys see Delena heading? Will she turn? Will he want to be human and build a life with her? What are your thoughts? **

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries or any of its characters, plots or themes. **

**DPOV:**

Nothing could have prepared me for Elena's response to her compulsion by me upon our first meeting. I know just how much she hates to be compelled, as well as the compulsion of other people unless it is absolutely necessary. But she truly wished that I hadn't made her forget, and she definitely wasn't the only one. I wasted so much time on a woman that was never truly mine, nor did she ever really care about me. Elena is nothing like her ancestor, apart from looks, and I'm eternally grateful for that. Call me crazy, but I feel like everything that happened, though parts were pointless, led us to each other for a reason.

Color me surprised when she asked if I'd like to go upstairs with her. My intention today had been to spend time with her, and yes, this may have crossed my mind, but I hadn't anticipated she'd be the one to initiate any real physical contact between us. I am going to do my best to be a gentleman, even if it means hurting her feelings a bit. The things that have occurred between us in her dream were amazing, and I wouldn't take them back for a second, nor do I regret them. But this is the real world, and I'm planning on taking my time with this beautiful woman. She deserves to be treasured, and to have time taken to show her that I truly do love her and appreciate her.

We reach the threshold to my room, and Elena stops and turns to face me. I had started out leading her to my room, but in her excitement, she started in front of me in a much quicker pace, practically dragging me there. I let out a small snigger at her expression and feel my lips turn up slightly into a small grin. Her eyes are intense pools of chocolate, and I can see a trace of lust in them. I lift our still joined hands and place my left hand atop them while stepping closer to her. "If anyone had told me I'd be led up to my room by an eager Elena, I'd have called them insane," I smile wider and she lightly smacks my chest, slightly fighting her own grin before it breaks out across her face. "Damon, I just want to spend some time together uninterrupted for a while. We don't know for sure that Emily is going to do what she said, so I want to make the most of it." The serious gaze returns to her face and I nod. "I know, so do I. But you know that I can't help but make jokes." I waggle my eyebrows and do the "eye thing" as Elena termed it. She lets out a giggle before pulling my hand once again, entering my bedroom.

I release her hand and move to my mahogany table in the corner to make a drink. I glance behind me, "Would you like something?" She nods her head and bites her lip, contemplating. "Club soda, if you have it," she says with a small smile. Her expressive eyes are staring at me so intensely that I stand frozen in place for what feels like forever but is probably only a few seconds, before I nod and turn back to my task. I grab my oldest bourbon and fill my tumbler, then kneel to grab some ice from my mini fridge for Elena's drink. As I stand up, I feel her presence much closer to me than it had been before I knelt. I smile, and grab her club soda, filling her glass and then turn to place it in her waiting hand. She flinches a bit at how quickly I spin and then happily lifts her drink to her lips. I follow suit, gulping down the deliciously aged amber liquid in my own glass. Our eyes never break contact, and I am suddenly aware that no one has said anything for a minute. Taking both of our glasses, I quickly sit them back on my table and then turn to her once again, enveloping her in a tight hug. I stroke her hair gently and take in her unique scent, never wanting to let her go again.

Elena lets out a sigh of contentment, hugging me just as tightly. "God, I missed you," she breathes. She snuggles her head into my shoulder, and I lay my head on top of hers, soaking her in. "When Ric first called me and had told me what happened, I never thought I'd get the chance to see you again. I'm suddenly holding a greater appreciation for the other side's existence." I chuckle and sway her back and forth gently, kissing her head, before releasing her from my arms. "Trust me Elena, I know the feeling. If I do get pushed back over here to the side of the living, what do you see happening with us?" My curiosity gets the better of me and I can't help but ask her. She looks to the floor, biting her lip nervously before answering. "Honestly, Damon, I know that I care about you and somewhere along the way, my feelings for you have changed. I'm not ready to say that I love you, and I'm sorry for that, but I want to see what these feelings mean, and if we can have something." Her eyes lift to meet mine, trying to gauge my reaction and I give her a swift nod.

I love this woman with everything in me. I'm not naïve, I know that she isn't in love with me. At least, not yet. But the fact that she does feel something for me romantically means that I have a real shot with her. I'll be damned if I let anything screw that up. "I want that too," I say, cupping her cheek. She closes her eyes at the contact and leans her cheek into my hand happily. "Elena, if I'm given a second chance, I won't let anything stand in my way. You're it for me. I'd wait a hundred lifetimes for you if I had to. So, I'm willing to take this as slow as you want."

She opens her eyes and smiles. "Can we just lay together? I want you to hold me, and I want us to enjoy each other's presence for a while." I smile widely and nod, grabbing her hand and leading her to my bed. She kicks off her shoes and climbs up onto the massive four-poster bed, then climbs under the white cotton sheets. She turns onto her side, back facing me, awaiting my entrance. I follow suit, wrapping my arms around her lithe form, pulling her close to me. "Thank you," she says lightly, and her breathing soon evens out. I know that she's asleep, so I pull her impossibly closer to me and close my eyes, drifting to sleep with her.

**BPOV:**

Emily and I are preparing for the spell we are going to perform tonight. She filled me in once Damon and Elena left my house about her full plan. Not only will we be pushing Damon over to this side, but Emily as well. She says that with her on this side, in addition to our power being linked, we can incapacitate Klaus and prevent him from breaking his curse. She informed me that Elijah could be a potential problem, as his motives are simply based on family. To prevent his interference, she had me contact him and get him to meet us in a public space.

_Earlier…_

"_Elijah," he answered the phone succinctly. _

"_Hi, Elijah, this is Bonnie Bennet. I need you to meet me in the town square as soon as possible."_

"_Miss Bennet, is something wrong? What's happened? I know that Damon Salvatore foiled Niklaus' plan. Has he discovered your survival? What of Elena?"_

"_No, he has no idea that I'm alive, and Elena is safe. I've cloaked her and her family. But I need you to meet me. How soon can you get here?"_

_There's a pause for a bit before he responds._

"_I will be there in exactly five minutes, Miss Bennet."_

_The line clicked dead and I awaited his presence._

_He arrived just when he'd said he would, looking as impeccable as he always does. _

"_Hello again, for what reason did you wish to meet with me?" His glance moved to the petite woman beside me and he asked, "Who may I ask, is this?"_

"_Elijah, I'd like you to meet Emily Bennet, my ancestor from the 1800's. She has some critical information for you and would like to broker a deal."_

_He didn't look surprised in the slightest that my relative from over a hundred years ago sat perched right beside me on a park bench. Although, he had lived for a thousand years, so it was possible that he'd seen everything._

_Elijah's expression bordered on amusement. "What is it with the residents in this town? Always looking to make a deal." His expression returned to his normal serious one before he looked to Emily._

"_Please," he gestured for her to speak._

"_Hello, Mr. Mikaelson," Mikaelson? I hadn't known his last name. Emily continued, "I have pertinent information for you, regarding the whereabouts of your siblings. However, I cannot give it to you unless you release your brother to myself and Bonnie. We will incapacitate him indefinitely, to prevent him from breaking his curse. In turn, we will return his body to you, to do with what you see fit. All we ask is that you do not do anything to wake him." Was she crazy? I'd thought. There's no way that he wouldn't want to wake his own brother at some point in time. _

_Elijah stood quiet for a moment, seeming to contemplate what Emily had put on the table for a moment. He'd rubbed his chin, looking at the ground before he composed himself and looked back to Emily. "I may require more than just pertinent information about my family, Ms. Bennet. I may need your help in procuring them. You may do what you need to do to debilitate my brother. And, as a sign of good faith, I will sign a magical, binding contract in my blood that will ensure that myself, nor my siblings will do anything to wake Niklaus."_

_Emily quickly took in Elijah's amendment to the deal and shook his hand. They smiled politely at one another before Elijah spoke again. "It has been a pleasure and an honor to meet a powerful which such as yourself Emily. Please, draw up a contract and once Niklaus has been apprehended, I will take his body into my custody and sign it. I give you my word. As for right now, though, I will need to know where my family is. Immediately."_

_I could have sworn that I saw his eyes light up in pleasure at the thought of seeing his family together again before he replaced it with his usual façade. _

_Emily looked to me, "Bonnie, I must take my leave with Elijah now to allow him to obtain his family. I will return shortly." I nodded and we parted ways._

Emily came back to my house two hours later, and quickly created the contract that would bind Elijah and his siblings to the agreed upon deal from mere hours prior. I had grown to respect Elijah in a sense. He was a man of honor, and he'd been very straightforward about his intentions. Also, he'd agreed to keep me and my friends safe because of Elena. I couldn't help but ask about how things went. "So how did it go? Did he reunite with his siblings?"

Emily looked at me while rolling up the contract and wrapping a leather cord around it. "Yes, he seemed very pleased to have his family together again. I can only hope that I have not helped to unleash further evil onto this plane. From my understanding, Niklaus daggered his siblings as a means of punishment. He didn't want them to create unnecessary problems or garner attention to what they are. I feel as though I have betrayed our kind somehow. Although, the being that Niklaus would have become and the ones he would have created would have been far more abhorrent."

I could see that she was struggling, but I had faith that Elijah would keep his siblings in check. "I believe that you did the right thing. Being a witch involved with vampires seems to make us compromise our morals and beliefs for what we feel is the greater good. You did what you felt was best." Emily smiled at me. "Yes, thank you Bonnie. Now, let us gather what we shall need for the spell tonight. The meteor shower will begin at seven minutes after ten this evening. We haven't got all day." I nodded and we worked together to get our materials.

**EPOV:**

I wake up to see that I'm in Damon's room. Memories of earlier flood back to me and I smile. My hand is rested over Damon's, which is holding me to his front securely. I gently rub his hand and then wiggle myself around to face him. He opens his eyes and smiles the sweetest smile I think I've ever seen on him. I gently place my hand on his cheek before moving in to press my lips softly to his. He responds just as softly to my kiss, pulling my body close to his again. He licks my bottom lip and I quickly grant him entrance, eager to deepen our kiss. I moan into his mouth as our tongues meet for the first time in real life. It's so much better than it was in my dreams. I hike my leg over his hip and press against him, feeling his arousal and earning a moan from Damon. His hand strokes up and down my back and we continue to kiss, getting lost in each other.

Suddenly, as though he realized something, he pulls away from me. "Elena…" he huffs breathlessly. I look into his eyes to see him staring at me intensely. "What is it?" I ask curiously, feeling slightly rejected. "Nothing. It's just that I don't want things to move too fast. You said yourself that you want to explore what your feelings mean. I already know that I'm in love with you. Maybe we should just take our time. Once we know for sure that I'm coming back permanently, we can work on it."

I hate how rational he's being, but I know that he's right. It's just so hard to be in bed with him and so close to him without wanting to kiss him senseless. Not to mention the other things that come to mind. He's doing the right things by me. I should do the same for him. It wouldn't be fair to him if we sped through things only for me to realize that it's not what I want. Me and my stupid, human hormones. He waits patiently for me to work through my thoughts.

"Okay. That sounds good. Can I still kiss you a little bit though?" I arch an eyebrow at him playfully and he chuckles. "You can definitely kiss me, Elena." He leans in and touches his lips to mine again for a sensual kiss, gripping my head like I might float away. When we pull apart, he looks to his nightstand. "We should get ready to go meet Bonnie and Emily. It's already almost nine." We slept the entire day away! I nod and throw the blankets off of me, ready to face the music. "Let's go," I say, holding my hand out to him.


End file.
